SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Wofford baseball team opened SoCon play on the right foot with a 7-0 shutout triumph over UNCG at Russell C. King Field Friday night. Behind eight hits at the dish and six strikeouts on the mound, the Terriers improve to 22-9 and 1-0 in league play. The Spartans drop to 14-16, 0-1 in conference action.
 
Matthew Marchal (2-2) earned the win for Wofford after tossing a career-high 7.1 innings, which also sets the mark for the longest outing by a Terrier this season. He allowed five hits and one walk, but he struck out five without giving up a run. Lucas Mahlstedt finished off the remaining 1.2 innings, surrendering just one hit with one punchout.
 
The loss was charged to Spartan starter Austin Parsley (5-3) after he allowed five runs on seven hits and a walk in 6.0 innings of work.
 
Though Wofford only tallied three more hits than UNCG, outhitting the Spartans 9-6, the Terriers made more of their opportunities and utilized bigger hits. UNCG did not have a single extra base hit in the contest, and no Spartans made it to third base with only one making it to second base – Greg Hardison in the first inning. On the other hand, the Terriers accrued three extra base hits. Two were doubles by Lawson Hill and Marshall Toole, and the other was a triple, also by Toole. Wofford also worked three more walks, drawing four free passes to UNCG's one.
 
Hill and Toole led the way with multi-hit efforts, each touting two base knocks. Both of Toole's went for extra bases, and Hill also picked up an RBI. Brennen Dorighi topped the team with two RBI, recording both on his lone hit in the second inning. With a walk in the third, John Dempsey extended his team-best on-base streak to 18 games.
 
The Terriers continued to wreak havoc on the basepaths, swiping six bags in the game. Jack Renwick and Brice Martinez led the charge with two steals apiece.
 
After a quiet first frame, Wofford started the scoring with three runs in the second inning. After Ryan Galanie was hit by a pitch, Lawson Hill doubled to right field to put both men in scoring position. Brennen Dorighi then singled to center to bring them both home and give Wofford a lead it would not relent. A bunt and steal moved Dorighi to third, where Brice Martinez singled to right to send him home. Wofford led 3-0.
 
Hill added to the lead with an RBI groundout in the bottom of the third to make the score 4-0.
 
The Terriers plated a couple more runs in the seventh to create some distance. Nolen Hester singled into center to score Marshall Toole, and a John Dempsey sacrifice fly brought Hester home. Wofford's lead was 6-0 after seven.
 
Taking advantage of a UNCG miscue, the Terriers secured an insurance run in the eighth. Hill raced home to score on a wild pitch to extend Wofford's lead to 7-0.
 
The Spartans would snag a lead-off single in the top of the ninth, but it would be all Lucas Mahlstedt would give them. He retired the next three batters to lock down the 7-0 win to begin Southern Conference play.
 
The series continues with game two tomorrow afternoon at Russell C. King Field with a 3:00 p.m. first pitch.